Something More
by Meg Rider
Summary: The heroes are with their women because they didn't really have any other options. Each of them feel trapped in their relationships. When the heroes and heroines get together and meet for the first time, they each find there just might be something more.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: For the sake of my story, none of the couples are actually married..._

**This is for Brina.**__

Snow White adjusted the red bow in her hair until it was centered on top of her head. She stepped back and admired her reflection. Tonight was the first ever Heroes Ball. There were thirteen districts in the country and tonight the most deserving hero from each district would be recognized. Prince Ferdinand had been chosen and Snow White was adamant about them looking perfectly royal since they were representing their district.

Prince Ferdinand walked into the room, tucking his shirt in. He had been working all day and was now rushing to get ready for the ball. Snow White turned to face him and a look of horror instantly crossed her face.

"Goodness!" Snow White exclaimed. "Is that _food _on your face?"

"Probably," Ferdinand said, clasping his cuff links. "I wasn't able to eat until just now."

Snow White hurried over to him. She licked her fingertip and started wiping the smudge off Ferdinand's mouth.

"You know, Dopey used to get food on his face all the time, too," Snow White said with a smile. "He was always so messy. Doc, too. I swear it was like they had never learned proper table etiquette..."

Snow White continued to talk excitedly about the dwarfs, but Ferdinand tuned her out. Snow White was always talking non-stop about the dwarfs and mothering him. Sure, she was beautiful, but Ferdinand wished she talked less, especially about other men, and would stop mothering him. He was a grown man and capable of taking care of himself.

X~X~X

Cinderella stepped out of the bathroom, where she had been applying her makeup, and stopped short as she looked around the bedroom. There were clothes strewn about everywhere and a plate of half-eaten food was on the bed. Cinderella balled her fists in frustration. She bent over and started picking the clothes up off the floor. She neatly laid them on the bed, only to be hit in the face by a shirt flying out of the closet.

"Charming!"

Charming stuck his head out of the closet. "Cinderella? I'm so glad you're here. I don't know what shirt to wear to the ball tonight."

Cinderella sighed and rolled her eyes. She walked into the closet and pulled his nicest shirt off a hanger. She handed it to him then started putting away the rest of his clothes while he finished getting ready. Cinderella was grateful to Charming for getting her away from her stepmother and stepsisters, but living with him wasn't much better. He took advantage of the fact that she was used to cleaning up after other people and he expected her to do the same for him.

Charming really was a good guy, but living a life of privilege had spoiled him. Just once Cinderella would like to have someone _not _treat her like a servant.

X~X~X

Philip paced back and forth. Where was Aurora? The carriage would be there soon to take them to the ball. She had left earlier that afternoon and still wasn't back. Philip sat down on the stairs just inside the main entrance. It was then that Aurora walked in. She was wearing a ripped peasant dress and had dirt on her feet, hands and a couple smudges on her face. Philip quickly stood back up.

"Aurora! Are you all right?" Philip asked.

Aurora smiled at him. "Of course. I went for a walk and on my way back I saw some of the flowers in the garden needed tending, so I took care of it."

"Aurora, we have servants who do that. You're a princess; you don't have to do those things anymore," Philip said, leading Aurora to the bathroom so she could clean up.

"Oh, nonsense, Philip. I lived in the woods most of my life, I'm sure I know more about plants and flowers than the gardeners do," Aurora said.

"Nonetheless, Aurora, we need to leave for the ball soon," Philip said.

Aurora's eyes lit up. "Oh that's right! Philip, I'm so proud of you!" She kissed his nose before heading into the bathroom. "I'll be ready in a jiffy."

Philip smiled at her, but as soon as she closed the door, he frowned. Aurora still hadn't adjusted to being a princess and it bothered Philip that she wasn't taking her princess responsibilities seriously. He didn't like that she would wander off for hours without telling anyone where she was going and he thought it was improper of her to be getting dirty. He wished she would start acting like the princess she was.

X~X~X

Eric and Ariel sat awkwardly in the carriage on the way to the ball. They had to travel a long way to get there and Eric wasn't looking forward to it. Even though Ariel had her voice, she still didn't talk much. Eric had come to the realization that he didn't know anything about her and was somewhat glad he had waited before asking her to marry him. Even though Ariel was always around, he often felt lonely; he longed for conversation. Ariel preferred to sit on the beach, staring out into the ocean. Eric wasn't sure if she missed her home or if she just liked being alone. Either way, she never really wanted to do anything. She used to be so adventurous, but now was probably realizing the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Eric wondered how long this relationship was actually going to last.

X~X~X

Belle could hardly stand still as Mrs. Potts put the finishing touches on her hair. She was excited about the Heroes Ball and couldn't wait to meet people from the other districts. This was also the first time Belle would be traveling outside her own district. Mrs. Potts was in the process of pinning a rose in Belle's hair when Adam came into her room.

"_There _you are," Adam said.

Belle was confused. "Where else would I be?"

"You were supposed to meet me for your self-defense class an hour ago," Adam said.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Adam, I'm a princess and a _lady; _I'm not supposed to fight people."

"Says who?"

Belle grabbed the nearest storybook and handed it to Adam. Adam flipped through the pages. It was a story about a prince who fights an ogre to save the princess.

Adam frowned. "Belle, this is just a story. You need to get your head out of these books and stop believing the misconception that a princess is supposed to be a damsel in distress."

"I don't think that," Belle said. "I just don't think women should engage in hand-to-hand combat."

"There! You're all finished!" Mrs. Potts said, interrupting the stubborn prince and equally stubborn princess-to-be. The two of them argued more than anyone she had ever met and Mrs. Potts tried to prevent this argument so they wouldn't be going to the ball in a bad mood.

Belle hurried over to the mirror to admire her new gown. Adam just shook his head and walked out of the room.

X~X~X

Jasmine kept her head down as she made her way through the marketplace and back to the palace. She heard all the whispers and tried not to make eye contact with anyone. Everyone was talking about how Aladdin was not fit to be Sultan and how Jasmine should be with someone of a higher class. Not necessarily a prince, but at least someone higher up than a street rat.

Jasmine sighed as she finally reached the palace. She closed the door behind her and took off her peasant coat. Aladdin greeted her with a kiss and smiled at her.

"Did you find the earrings you were looking for?" Aladdin asked.

Jasmine nodded and held the earrings up for Aladdin to see. It was then that Jasmine noticed Aladdin's outfit. He was wearing nice pants and a nice button shirt, but he left the shirt partly unbuttoned, revealing his chest.

"Aladdin, can you please button up your shirt?" Jasmine asked, putting on her new earrings. "That's not really appropriate attire for a ball."

Aladdin frowned as he did what she asked. But, he still left the top couple buttons undone. Jasmine sighed and finished buttoning his shirt. Aladdin ran his finger along the inside of his collar, obviously uncomfortable.

"Stop fidgeting, Aladdin. You're representing our district as the future Sultan," Jasmine said. "Everyone already thinks you don't know what you're doing, so can you at least _look _the part?"

X~X~X

Pocahontas sat on the grass in the courtyard as she waited for the carriage to pick her and John Smith up for the ball. She knew there was a good chance her new dress was getting dirty, but she didn't care. The dress was just a costume they gave her so she could pretend to be a proper lady.

John looked out the window, down at Pocahontas. He thought he had done the right thing by asking Pocahontas to stay with him, but he could tell she wasn't happy. And, honestly, neither was he. They were from two very different worlds and it had been foolish for him to think they could make things work.

X~X~X

Meg had just finished getting ready when she heard a crash downstairs. She grabbed Hercules' sword from next to the bed and hurried towards where the noise had come from. She snuck around the corner to see a man quickly grabbing some of the gold Hercules had received from grateful villagers. Meg walked into the room, holding the sword out in front of her.

"Hey!" she called out.

Startled, the man turned around. Meg started to charge him, but the skirt of her dress was skin-tight and she had trouble moving in it. The man laughed and came towards her. Meg glared him, then ripped a slit in the side of her dress. She went to swing the sword at him, but he blocked her arm and knocked the sword out of her hand. He then kicked it away from her and started walking out of the room. Meg grabbed him and kneed him in the groin. He bent over and she then hit him in the nose with heel of her hand as hard as she could. The man collapsed on the floor, and curled up in a ball. Meg smiled proudly when she saw that she had caused his nose to bleed.

"What happened?" Hercules asked, coming up behind her.

"He was trying to steal your gifts," Meg replied. "I stopped him."

Hercules looked down at the man. At first, Hercules loved that Meg could take care of herself. But, now he was starting to feel useless. Hercules was a hero and it was in his instinct to protect Meg, but she didn't need him to. He turned back to face Meg and frowned when he saw her dress. She was wearing a tight corset under her low cut dress, exposing the top of her breasts. She also had a huge rip on the side of her dress.

"Meg, I think you should change before we leave," Hercules suggested.

"Why?"

"I'm receiving the highest hero award tonight and I would like it if you would look... _nice _for the occasion. I don't want these people to look down on us," Hercules said.

"I'm not changing. Who cares what a bunch of stuck-up people think of us?" Meg asked. "We probably won't see them again after tonight."

X~X~X

As they rode to the ball, Jane reached over and took Tarzan's hand. He gave her a small smile, then went back to looking out the window. Jane had tried living with Tarzan in the jungle, but it just hadn't worked for her. So, she asked him to come back with her. He was more than happy to do that for her. But, Jane could tell that he missed his home terribly; especially his mom. Jane felt guilty for making him stay with her, but she loved him and she wasn't sure if she could actually be without him. Tarzan would never mention that he wanted to go home and, for the time being, Jane wasn't going to bring it up, either.

X~X~X

Esmeralda twirled in her dress, making the bells on her sash jingle. Phoebus couldn't help watching her move gracefully around the room. Her dancing was what had first attracted him to her, but now when he watched her dance, he was no longer fooled by her gentle facade. In fact, Esmeralda downright scared him. Esmeralda was not one who liked being shown up by a man and whenever they got into a fight, she would grab her knife or his sword, forcing him to back down. Phoebus missed being the Captain of the Guard and found himself wishing more and more that he was back in a position where he was seen as someone important. He thought Esmeralda would at least let him have his moment tonight since he was accepting a hero's award. But Esmeralda thought it was degrading that they were holding a ball specifically to show men were better than woman. It took everything he had just to convince her to go with him. In the end he was able to bribe her by promising to buy her new dresses for her show.

Esmeralda twirled around the room once more and Phoebus caught a glimpse of the knife she had strapped to her leg.

X~X~X

Mulan raced inside, quickly stripping off her training clothes as she made her way to the bathroom to clean up. She washed up quickly, then went into her room and grabbed the dress she had picked out earlier. She was just putting on her makeup when she heard Shang swear loudly from down the hall. She hurried out into the hall to see Shang standing in the middle of a dust cloud.

"What happened?" Mulan asked.

"I was trying to board up the hole in the wall, but the nail sent a crack up the wall, to the ceiling, causing a piece of the ceiling to break off. Now we have a hole in the wall _and _ceiling," Shang explained, glaring at Mulan.

Mulan slapped her forehead. "I was supposed to help you and I totally forgot. I'm sorry."

"Look, Mulan, I appreciate you trying to keep up with your training, but you have taken this way too far," Shang said. "You need to do other things with your time, too; like helping me out around the house."

Shang set his hammer down, then went into the bathroom to start getting ready for the ball. Shang couldn't deny that Mulan was dedicated to her training, but was it too much for him to ask that she actually help work on fixing up their new home? He didn't think so.

X~X~X

Tiana walked downstairs and paused on the steps when she saw Naveen rushing around the house, trying to clean everything.

"Do you want me to help you?" Tiana asked him.

"No!" Naveen replied quickly. "I can do this on my own. You should get ready for the ball."

"I _am _ready. I've been ready for a half an hour," Tiana said.

Naveen looked up at her, then looked at the clock. He ran up the stairs and Tiana heard him fumbling around as he rushed to get ready. Tiana sighed and leaned against the railing. She noticed a few fingerprints on the mirror in the hallway and grabbed the rag and cleaner to wipe it up.

"Tiana, stop," Naveen said, as he came downstairs. "I'll finish cleaning tomorrow."

Naveen took the rag and cleaner from her and Tiana sighed. Once Naveen had gotten into the habit of working hard, he programmed himself to always be busy working. He no longer let Tiana do any of the cleaning or household work. He said she was too busy with the restaurant and didn't have to worry about working at home, as well. Tiana hadn't minded at first, but not having anything to do at home was causing her to become anxious.

X~X~X

Flynn stood on the balcony and stared out at the woods in the distance. He was happy that he had reunited Rapunzel with her family, but she changed and was a different girl now. Her main priority was to be the best princess she could be and she lost her adventurous spirit. The palace life wasn't enough for Flynn and he longed to be free to travel and see the world. He would never admit it to Rapunzel, but Flynn missed his old life. Not the thieving part of it, but the excitement. Since he moved into the castle with Rapunzel, everyday was planned out for him and he had a strict schedule to follow. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been allowed to leave the kingdom. Part of him was looking forward to the Heroes Ball just so he could get out of their district. Of course, he knew there would just be more royalty at the ball, so it wouldn't be much of an escape.


	2. Chapter 2

A couple thousand people had actually shown up for the Heroes Ball. A dinner was held in a smaller ballroom where the heroes were all honored, afterwards they all moved to the large ballroom for the celebration. Everyone wanted a chance to talk to each of the heroes, especially the female heroes: Pocahontas, Mulan and Tiana. Everyone had been surprised to see three women had been chosen as the most deserving heroes of their district.

Pocahontas stared blankly at all the people around her. They were all asking her questions at the same time and she felt completely overwhelmed. She wanted to get away from them, but didn't want to be rude. She looked around for John, but there were so many people there that it was impossible for her to find him. When she thought she had answered enough questions to be polite, Pocahontas excused herself and snuck outside. The cool air hitting her face was a nice relief from being in the stuffy ballroom. She walked around the property until she found a lone tree. There was a large branch a few feet above her that was hidden by leaves. Pocahontas decided this was the perfect place to hide for a while. She reached up and took hold of one of the lower branches and tried to hoist herself up, but her high heels prevented her from climbing the tree. She slipped and fell back on the ground. She groaned in pain, then took off her shoes and tossed them aside.

"Need a hand?"

Startled, Pocahontas looked up to see an outstretched hand extending from the branch she had been trying to get on. She couldn't see a face, but judging by the voice it was a man. She slipped her hand in his and he pulled her up with little effort.

"Thank you," Pocahontas said as she adjusted her weight on the branch. Although, she almost lost her balance again when she saw the man was actually half naked.

He had his suit pants on, but he had hung his shirt, jacket and tie over a smaller branch next to him. His body was perfectly sculpted and his biceps were bulging, even though he wasn't flexing them. When her eyes finally made it up to his face, Pocahontas recognized him as the hero from district eleven, but she couldn't remember his name.

"I'm Pocahontas," she said.

"I know," he responded.

Pocahontas waited for him to introduce himself, but he didn't. "I'm sorry; I don't remember your name."

"Tarzan."

"What brings you up here, Tarzan?" Pocahontas asked.

"I don't fit in with them," Tarzan said. "I'm from the jungle not from the city. I came here to be with Jane."

Pocahontas smiled at him. "I know how you feel."

Tarzan smiled back at her. "You have the same color eyes as my mother. Tarzan thinks Pocahontas is pretty."

X~X~X

"Oh, Ferdinand, I'm so proud of you!" Snow White said when she finally found him. "But, you know your shirt was untucked a little on the side. You really should care more about how you look when you're representing our district. I mean, you are the prince of the _first _district, you should-"

"Enough, Snow!" Ferdinand snapped quietly. "I am not your child, so stop mothering me. And for the love of God, would you please stop talking at me?"

Snow White looked as if she was going to cry. "Why do you have to be so mean? None of the dwarfs ever talked to me like that, not even Grumpy."

Ferdinand rolled his eyes and walked away. He needed to find someplace quiet to go. He went out to the hallway and wandered down it. All the rooms were full of people. When he reached the end of the hall, he found a small room that looked like an office. He didn't see anyone inside, so he walked in and closed the door behind him. There was a table next to the door with a couple candles on it. Ferdinand lit one of the candles and a dim light filled the room. He was surprised to see a young woman with red hair standing on the other side of the room, staring out the window.

"I'm sorry," Ferdinand said. "I didn't know anyone was in here."

The girl turned and looked at him. "It's okay."

Ferdinand expected her to start talking wildly like other girls, but she just turned back toward the window. He thought about leaving so he didn't bother her, but he knew this was the quietest room he was going to find.

"Am I intruding?" Ferdinand asked. "Would you like me to leave?"

"No.

Ferdinand nodded and sat down on one of the leather chairs. "I'm Prince Ferdinand form district one."

The girl smiled at him. "I'm Princess Ariel from district four."

Ariel had bright blue eyes and an even brighter smile that seemed to actually light up the room. She made no attempt to start a conversation with him and Ferdinand was grateful for the quiet.

X~X~X

Snow White made her way back to the smaller ballroom and sat down at the table she and Ferdinand had had their dinner. She knew it was best to stay in one spot in case Ferdinand came looking for her. She tapped her fingers on the table as she waited for her prince.

"Oh no!"

Snow White looked over to see the prince from district two jump up from his seat. He appeared to have spilled a drink on his shirt. He just stared at it like he didn't know what to do. Snow White hurried over to his table and grabbed a napkin. She started dabbing up his shirt.

"You can't let it sit or it will stain," Snow White said.

"Thank you," Prince Charming said.

Snow White dipped the napkin in a glass of water and wiped the food off Charming's hands. "You're welcome. I'm happy to help."

"I wish Cinderella thought that way," Charming said as he sat back down. "Anytime I ask her to do anything to help me, she complains about it."

Snow White frowned. "That's not right. A woman should _want _to do things for her man."

Charming smiled up at her. "You're Snow White, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, Snow White, would you like to join me for some dessert?"

"I would love to, Charming," Snow White said as she sat down next to him.

X~X~X

"You must feel so ashamed for stealing your man's glory."

Mulan frowned at the older woman standing in front of her. "I didn't steal anything from Shang."

The woman looked down her nose at Mulan. "It's not right for a woman to fight along side men."

"I disagree."

The woman glared at a man who had joined them.

"I think it's important for a woman to know how to defend herself," the man continued. "There won't always be a man around and she should know how to protect herself. Now, Mulan here is quite an extraordinary woman. She was able to, not only defend herself, but also save a whole army of men. I'd say that's pretty impressive."

The woman snorted. "I say letting a woman fight gives men an excuse to be lazy." With that the woman turned on her heel and walked away.

Mulan couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said. "I meant what I said, though. People will be talking about the courageous heroine from district ten for a long time."

"Now, I feel bad," Mulan said. "I don't know who you are."

He shrugged. "Don't feel bad. I'm Adam."

Mulan nodded. "Right. You're the hero from five."

"I'm actually not a hero," Adam admitted. "Belle was the one who broke the spell. But, she has the same way of thinking as that woman and she didn't want to be looked at as a hero who 'fought the bad guy and saved everyone'." Adam frowned at the memory of Belle saying that, despite the fact that she _hadn't _fought Gaston, he had. "She _is _brave and a hero in her own way, but she's not like you, Mulan."

X~X~X

"Was it hard to stand up to Dr. Facilier like that?"

Tiana was about to answer that question for the twentieth time that night, when a scream came from down the hall, interrupting her. Tiana excused herself and walked towards the woman. When Tiana got closer she saw the woman was standing just outside the ladies' room and she was wet. The woman looked around and grabbed the first man she saw; Shang.

"The faucet in the ladies' room is spraying water everywhere!" the woman exclaimed. "Can you fix it?"

"Not without tools," Shang said.

As if on cue, one of the waiters appeared with a box of tools. Shang took them and the woman led him into the restroom. Tiana slowly followed after them and stood in the door way. The woman pointed out the broken faucet, as if Shang couldn't find it on his own, then she ducked back into the hall. Tiana watched as Shang fought against the water to turn off the faucet. Of course, it didn't work. Tiana smiled and shook her head. She kicked off her shoes, then hiked up her skirt and joined Shang. She was immediately sprayed with water.

"You have to actually turn off the water," Tiana said as she knelt down on the slightly flooded floor. She crawled under the raised sink and turned the water valve until the water turned off. She then stood back up.

A very wet and bewildered Shang was now staring at her. Tiana didn't know why he was staring at her and she became self conscious and checked her reflection. She was soaking wet, her makeup was running down her cheeks, part of her hair had come undone and her dress was dirty. Since the sink still needed fixing, she didn't bother to fix her appearance. Tiana grabbed one of the tools from the box and she and Shang worked together to fix the sink. When they were done, Shang smiled at her.

"Well, look at you, Tiana," he said. "You defeat villains _and _you fix sinks. And rumor has it you can cook, too. Is there anything you _don't _do?"

"If there is, I haven't found it yet," Tiana replied.

Shang laughed. "Everyone look out for the triple threat from district twelve!"

X~X~X

Cinderella watched the couples dancing around the ballroom. After the ceremony, she had gone to find Charming but was muscled out by other women trying to get his attention and she hasn't really seen him since they arrived. Cinderella smoothed out the skirt of her dress, trying to make herself look occupied.

"Excuse me."

Cinderella moved out of the way so the man could pick up some miscellaneous garbage off the small table behind her.

"Do you work here?" Cinderella asked.

"No, it just bothers me to see a mess piling up," the man said.

"Don't they have servants for that?" Cinderella asked.

"Of course. But, I'm perfectly capable of cleaning up a mess when I see one. Especially when there is a trash basket right _there,_" he said, tossing the garbage in the can next to the table.

The man turned and smiled at Cinderella and she felt herself go a little weak. He easily had the best smile she had ever seen. She smiled back at him.

"Tell me, why is a beautiful girl like you standing here by yourself?" the man asked.

"I don't know where my, uh… my prince is," Cinderella said, not really sure how to refer to Charming.

"Ah. So, you're a princess," he said.

Cinderella giggled. "No. Not yet."

"But, you want to be?"

"Sure. What girl wouldn't want to be a princess?" Cinderella replied.

He smiled at her again, then gave her a small bow. "I'm Prince Naveen."

_Of course he's a prince, _Cinderella thought. _He's too perfect to be anything less. _

"I'm Cinderella."

"Since I also cannot find my date, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" Naveen asked.

"I'd love to."

X~X~X

Aurora had been so excited to find out this palace was located on a lake. She had never seen a body of water larger than a river or pond before. The first chance she got, she ran across the back yard and stood at the edge of the lake. She took off her shoes, then looked around to make sure no one was nearby. When she was convinced she was alone, she pulled up the bottom of her dress and stepped into the water. It was surprisingly warm and Aurora smiled. The lake sparkled with starlight and seemed to go on forever. She took another step forward, but slipped. She managed to keep her balance, but had to let go of her dress. Once she had regained her composure, Aurora quickly picked up the skirt of her dress again. The bottom of it was wet and she knew Philip would not be happy to see that.

"Are you all right, miss?" A young man called out form the edge of the water.

"I'm fine." Aurora wasn't sure if she was allowed to be in the lake, so she turned to walk back to the shore.

To her surprise, the man had taken off his shoes and was now rolling up his pant legs. He stepped into the water and walked over to Aurora.

"I love the water," he said, stopping next to her.

"This is the biggest body of water I've ever seen," Aurora said.

"My palace is on the ocean," he said. "I'm also a sailor."

Aurora couldn't help staring dreamily at the hero from the fourth district. She suddenly remembered his name; he was Prince Eric. Aurora wondered if he was as straight-laced and serious as Philip was. Although, the fact that he was standing calf-deep in water in his best clothes told her he wasn't.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Eric stated, staring out at the horizon.

"Almost magical."

X~X~X

Hercules watched Meg as she talked excitedly about all the monsters he has defeated. Hercules had gotten the highest award that night and has been followed around constantly all night. But, Meg never left his side. They bombarded him with questions, but he barely got a word in because Meg was continuously bragging about him.

Meg was now telling them about when he had fought the Hydra. She was talking quickly and wildly gesturing with her hands. That's when Hercules noticed something on her hand. He reached over and took her hand in his, but she was so caught up in her story that she hardly noticed.

"Meg?"

Meg stopped short and looked at Hercules. "Yeah?"

Hercules was about to ask her what was on her hand, when the realization hit him. "Meg, is that-" He looked up to see everyone now had their attention on him. He pulled Meg away from them, to a somewhat secluded spot. "Meg, is that _blood _on your hand?"

Meg looked down at her hand, remembering how she had made the intruder bleed earlier. "Probably."

"Oh, honestly, Meg!" Hercules exclaimed, dropping her hand.

Meg licked her finger and rubbed the dried blood off her hand. She then wiped her hand on her dress.

"Can you at least _pretend _to be classy?" Hercules turned and stormed away.

Hercules walked out of the ballroom, into the hallway. He didn't know why Meg was getting to him so much that day. She wasn't really doing anything wrong; they were just so different that is was hard to avoid friction.

Hercules wasn't watching where he was walking and suddenly ran right into a petite brunette. She cried out in pain and he immediately felt bad.

"I'm so sorry," Hercules said.

The girl was now sitting on the floor with her hand on her ankle. Hercules frowned when he realized he had stepped on her. He knelt down in front of her.

"Are you all right?" Hercules asked.

"I think so," she said.

Hercules scooped up the girl and set her on the cushioned bench against the wall. She pulled her foot up on the seat and Hercules gently examined it. It didn't appear to be broken.

"What do you say, doctor? Do you think I'll be able to keep it?" she asked in a playful voice.

Hercules smiled. "I'd say your odds are good."

She pulled her dress over ankle and put her foot back on the floor. Hercules couldn't help noticing how gracefully she moved.

"I'm Hercules, from district nine," he said.

"I know who you are, Hercules," she said. "You're tonight's star."

Hercules awkwardly ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know about that."

She shrugged. "Well, you got my attention."

"But, I had to run you down and step on you to get it," Hercules said.

She laughed. "You didn't _have _to step on me."

"Again, I'm really sorry."

She stood up and smiled down at him. "I'm not. It was all part of my plan to meet you, Hercules." she winked at him and started to walk away.

"Wait," Hercules called, going after her. She stopped and turned around. "What's your name?"

"Belle."

X~X~X

Meg cursed Hercules under her breath. She didn't understand why he was being hard on her. She didn't even want to go to the ball in the first place. She hated social events and was always anxious when she was around a lot of people. But she came to support him and even talked him up to everybody, trying to be social. And what does he do? He snaps at her. She didn't mean to come with blood on her hand; Blood which, by the way, she had gotten on her trying to prevent him from being robbed. Could he at least _pretend _to be grateful?

Meg sighed. Since she was still stuck here for the remainder of the night, she decided she should make amends with Hercules and try to be classier for him. She quickly turned to find him and crashed into a waiter holding a tray of wine. All of the drinks spilled down the front of her dress and some of it splashed in her hair. She jumped back to avoid getting hit with the glass as it shattered on the floor.

"You've _got _to be kidding me!" Meg muttered.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the waiter said.

Meg waved her hand dismissively. "It's not your fault."

Meg hurried towards the bathroom to clean up and swore under breath when saw the ladies' room was out of order due to flooding. She looked around, and saw that no one was nearby. She quickly slipped into the mens' room and locked the door behind her. She grabbed a small towel off the sink and started wiping the wine off her dress. She then turned on the faucet and bent over it to rinse out her hair. Someone cleared their throat and she looked up. She had forgotten to check if anyone was in there. The young man standing next to her was giving her an amused look.

"I know; classy, right?" Meg said as she rang out her hair.

He shrugged. "Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do."

Meg slowly stood up and noticed he was checking her out. She didn't mind, though, because she couldn't help but check him out, too. He had thick black hair and deep brown eyes. He had the top few buttons of his shirt undone, revealing his perfectly tanned, toned chest. Meg bit her lip and smiled at him.

"I'm Megara," she said. "But, you can call me Meg."

"I'm Aladdin."

"From the sixth district, right?" Meg vaguely remembered him getting the hero's award earlier that night.

Aladdin nodded as he started washing his hands. Meg patted her hair dry, then tossed the towel back on the sink.

"You're here with that princess," Meg stated. "The one that makes even the women stop and take a second look."

Aladdin laughed uncomfortably. "Yeah."

"Does that mean you're a prince?"

"No. Jasmine doesn't think I have what it takes to be Sultan," Aladdin said. "I guess I can't even _look _the part."

"Just not classy enough, huh?" Meg guessed as Hercules' words echoed through her head.

Aladdin nodded. "I lived on the streets my whole life and then I was suddenly thrust into the spotlight and expected to perform."

"And you do your best, but you can't hide who you are and you realize you don't live up to their expectations," Meg said. "You just keep falling short and even though they won't say it out loud, you know they're thinking you're not good enough."

Aladdin stared her. "Exactly."

X~X~X

"Thank God they recognized some women tonight," Esmeralda was saying. "At least this didn't turn out to be one big chauvinistic event."

Phoebus couldn't help feeling a little upset. Tonight was supposed to be an important night for him and Esmeralda just ended up casting her feminist shadow over it.

"I need a drink," Phoebus said. Esmeralda just shrugged and he walked away.

Phoebus was looking for a waiter, when he was stopped by a beautiful woman with long black hair.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry," she said. "You're Captain Phoebus, right?"

"Yeah..."

Her eyes lit up. "I'm Jasmine and I just wanted to say that what you did was amazing. To lead a revolt and stand up for what's right like that is just incredible. The world could use more people like you. You really deserve the title of a hero. District eight is lucky to have you. _Any _district would be lucky to have you."

Phoebus was slightly taken aback, but flattered. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

The lights in the ballroom dimmed and the orchestra started playing a slower song.

"Can I have this dance?" Jasmine asked. "Just one dance and then you can go back to your girlfriend."

Phoebus looked over at Esmeralda, who was now chatting it up with Mulan. He turned back to Jasmine and smiled at her.

Phoebus held his hand out to the princess. "Make it two."

X~X~X

As the music became slower, Flynn realized he hadn't danced with Rapunzel yet that night. He set off to look for her, but was distracted when he overheard a nearby conversation.

"If you ask me, this whole night was designed to boost the egos of the men. They only included women to appear like they're being 'fair'." The dark haired girl talking to Mulan made air quotes around the word fair. "Men aren't near as important as they think they are. Women should get more recognition."

"Why?" Flynn asked.

The dark haired girl gave Flynn annoyed look. "Why what?"

"Why is it okay for women to think they're superior to men, but not okay for men to think they're superior?" Flynn asked. "Whether you like it or not, men and women are equal. No one gender is better than the other. And as far as recognition goes, that should be determined by the individual. A woman shouldn't get special recognition over a man just because of her gender. She should get it because she deserves it."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Mind your own business."

"You're a princess, aren't you?" Flynn accused. "I bet your prince was recognized as a hero and you're bitter about it because that means for once things aren't about _you. _You were upstaged by a man and now you're determined to ruin the night for him. I bet you're just a royal bit-."

"I am _not _a princess," the girl said, getting angry.

Mulan excused herself and hurried away. The girl glared at Flynn.

"Who do you think you are?" she demanded.

"Flynn Rider."

"You smug son of a bitch," Esmeralda muttered.

Flynn laughed as he started to walk away. "I guess it's true what they say: feminists are not ladies."

Esmeralda ran after Flynn and tackled him in the hallway.

"You're an egotistical jerk," she said, as she tried to pin him down.

The woman wasn't near as strong as she thought she was and Flynn was able to flip her on her back and pin her down with no trouble. She let out a frustrated growl when she realized Flynn had the upper hand. Flynn tightened his grip on her wrists and she stopped struggling. It was then that Flynn first gazed into her turquoise eyes. She really was beautiful and full of fire and spirit. The way Rapunzel used to be.

Flynn realized the woman was staring intensely at him was well. Flynn was suddenly very aware of the fact that his face was only inches from hers. He quickly got off her.

She sat up, not taking her eyes off Flynn. "I'm Esmeralda."

X~X~X

"Tarzan!"

Jane hadn't seen Tarzan all night and was beginning to worry about him. She wandered around the courtyard, where there were the most trees, expecting to find him there, but she was having no luck.

"Tarzan!" she called out again.

In the distance, she noticed the figure of a man walking towards her. Thinking it was Tarzan, Jane sighed in relief and made her way towards him.

"There you are! I've been looking for y-" Jane stopped short when the person came into view and she realized it wasn't Tarzan.

The man had blonde hair and his eyes were bluer than anything she had ever seen before. He had a blank expression on his face and he didn't look too friendly, but Jane had to admit he was handsome.

"I'm not Tarzan, I'm John Smith. There's no one out here," he said.

"Oh." Jane blushed, suddenly feeling silly for calling out to no one.

"I was looking for someone, too," John continued. "She's..." he paused, as if he was looking for the right word"...really into nature. I thought for sure she'd be out here."

Jane sighed and sat down on the stone bench between two trees. "Same here."

"Is everything all right?" John asked, hesitantly.

"No! I never should have asked him to come here." Jane put her face in her hands.

"To the ball?"

Jane shook her head. "No. He lived in the jungle and I asked him to come here to live with me. But, he's not happy. I shouldn't have made him leave his home."

John sat down next to Jane and put his arm around her. Jane looked up at him. He had the same sad expression on his face and Jane wondered if he knew what she was going through...

X~X~X

Philip leaned over the balcony and looked out over the yard, wondering if Aurora was out there playing around.

"Excuse me? Are you Prince Philip?"

Philip turned around to see a girl with short brown hair standing nervously behind him. She was wearing an elegant gold gown with a jeweled tiara placed perfectly on top of her head. She looked more royal than any of the other princesses at the ball.

"Yes, I am."

The princess smiled at him. "You're the one who slayed the dragon and saved the princess. You're the kind of prince I've always read about. My mother, well, Gothel, told me those stories aren't real and men like you don't exist. But, here you are."

Philip couldn't help smiling at her excitement. "Well, I don't know if things like that actually happen. I didn't slay a real dragon; it was a fairy that transformed herself into a dragon."

"There are other rumors about you, Prince Philip," she said. "Like how you're a fair and kind prince who is dedicated to your duties as prince. The other people from district three say they couldn't ask for a better prince."

"Forgive me, princess, but I don't know anything about you," Philip said.

"I'm Rapunzel, princess of the thirteenth district."

Philip kissed Rapunzel's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Rapunzel."


	3. Chapter 3

Ferdinand lied awake in bed, listening to Snow White's quiet breathing. He had purposely returned to their room late, knowing she would be asleep and he wouldn't have to deal with her nagging. But, now he couldn't sleep. Part of it was because they were staying the night at the palace where the ball was being held and this was the first time he had ever slept somewhere other than his own bed. But, the main reason he couldn't sleep was that his mind was occupied by thoughts of Ariel. They had sat in that office for a couple hours without talking, but not once did it ever feel awkward or uncomfortable. Even though Ferdinand was grateful not to have to deal with the endless chatter, he found himself wanting to get to know her more. But, eventually she left and that was it.

Ferdinand sighed and sat up. Clearly, he wasn't going to be falling asleep anytime soon. He slipped on some clothes and headed outside for a walk. He started walking towards the lake, hoping the relaxing sound of the water would help him become sleepy. As he approached the lake, he was surprised to see Ariel sitting on the ground next to it. She was running her hand through the water and humming to herself.

"Ariel?"

Ariel looked up and smiled. "Hi, Prince Ferdinand."

"You don't have to be so formal," Ferdinand said, sitting down next to her. "Ferdinand is fine."

Ariel nodded and looked back down at the water.

"You're not like other princesses," Ferdinand stated after a few moments of silence.

"You have no idea," Ariel replied, quietly.

Ferdinand gave her an amused smile. "Enlighten me."

"I'm a mermaid," Ariel said, running her finger over the surface of the water. "I traded my voice to a sea witch to become human so I could be with Eric. I had three days to get him to fall in love with me. And he did, but it was too late. I turned back to a mermaid and belonged to the witch. Eric killed her, then my father turned me into a human so I could be with Eric. I haven't seen my father or my sisters in a really long time. I miss them."

Ferdinand reached out and took Ariel's hand. "That must be hard."

"It is. But, Eric doesn't understand. He doesn't know anything about sacrificing everything for someone." Ariel pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. "His heart is always in the right place, but it's hard to have a conversation with someone you have nothing in common with. There's also the fact that he's older than me and I can tell sometimes he thinks I'm too young and immature."

Ferdinand brushed a strand of her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I think you're perfect."

Ariel blushed and smiled shyly at him. "You're sweet."

"I mean it."

Ferdinand didn't know what came over him, but he suddenly had the urge to kiss Ariel. Before he could think it through, Ferdinand leaned forward and gently kissed Ariel. Much to his surprise, she kissed him back.

X~X~X

"What were you doing with that guard?" Aladdin asked Jasmine.

"We were just dancing," Jasmine said.

"I saw you flirting with him," Aladdin stated.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "I was just being friendly. Why are you getting so jealous?"

"I'm not jealous. I just think it's rude to flirt with another man in front of me," Aladdin said.

"I didn't know you were there."

"So, you admit you were flirting with him?"

Jasmine let out a frustrated cry. "I can't deal with you right now."

Jasmine stormed out of the room and made her way down the stairs, towards the main floor. She walked into the now empty dining room and sat down at one of the tables. She leaned over the table and buried her face in her arms. She didn't know why Aladdin's accusation made her so upset; she _had _been flirting with Phoebus earlier. Maybe she was more upset about actually getting caught. A couple tears slid down Jasmine's cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. What was she thinking? How could she have even thought about being with someone other than Aladdin? True, Phoebus was handsome, brave, strong and from a higher ranking-

"Jasmine? Are you all right?"

Jasmine quickly lifted her head, wiping away her tears. Phoebus was standing next to the table, looking down at her, concerned.

"Oh. Hi, Phoebus."

"What's the matter?" Phoebus asked.

"I just got into a fight with Aladdin," Jasmine said. "It's... It's nothing."

Phoebus let out a small laugh. "Yeah, Esmeralda just started yet another fight with me, as well."

"Sometimes it's nice to just get away," Jasmine said. "At least, for a little while. I mean, eventually we'll always have to go back to them."

Phoebus frowned. "Who says?"

Jasmine gave him a confused look. "What?"

"Who says we have to go back to them?" Phoebus asked.

"Where else would we go?" Jasmine asked. "We have a responsibility to them...don't we?"

"We're not married," Phoebus replied. "We should be free to be with whoever we want. There was definitely something between us earlier, Jasmine, you can't deny that. And we're both obviously unhappy in our current relationships, so why can't we be together?"

Jasmine stared at Phoebus like he was crazy. "I don't know, Phoebus..."

Phoebus took Jasmine's hands and pulled her to her feet. "Be with me, Jasmine. You know I have more to offer you, and your kingdom, than Aladdin does."

_Maybe Phoebus is right, _Jasmine thought. _He would be a much better leader than Aladdin and he seems to be everything I've ever wanted in a man. _

Jasmine smiled at Phoebus. "All right."

X~X~X

"Naveen, stop it!" Cinderella giggled as Naveen chased her across the ballroom.

After the ball, Naveen stayed behind to help the servants clean up and Cinderella had offered to help him. Now, the rest of the servants had left and Naveen and Cinderella ended up playing more than cleaning. Naveen was currently chasing her and throwing rags at her because she had mentioned how pretty he would look in an apron.

Cinderella ducked as Naveen threw another rag at her. He was gaining on her, but she knew he had to be almost out of rags by now. She glanced behind her and saw that he was down to one last rag. When he threw it at her, she caught it. She was about to throw it back at him, but it was then that Cinderella noticed she was approaching a wall. She was about turn to avoid it, but Naveen wrapped his arm around her waist and pinned her against the wall.

"I told you, you couldn't outrun me," Naveen said, pretending to be serious. "Does district two concede?"

Cinderella wiggled under Naveen's grip. "Never!" Remembering that she still had the rag, she tossed it at Naveen's face.

Naveen let go of her and stepped back. Cinderella didn't run again, she just smiled triumphantly at him.

Naveen laughed. "I don't think I've ever had this much fun cleaning."

"Me either," Cinderella admitted. "I've had fun spending time with you, Naveen."

Naveen smiled at her. "Me, too." He quickly regained his composure and his smile disappeared. "It's a shame we won't see each other again after tomorrow."

Cinderella frowned. Tomorrow everyone would be returning to their districts and she would return to being Charming's servant. Cinderella slumped back against the wall. To be honest, this was the most fun she's ever had and now she was going to have to go back home and forget she ever met Naveen.

"I should get to my room before Tiana starts worrying," Naveen said.

Cinderella nodded and watched him as he started walking away. She bit her lip; she wasn't ready to say goodbye to Naveen. Without thinking, Cinderella ran after him. She grabbed his hand and when he turned around, she kissed him. Before he could reject her, Cinderella pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Naveen, I just-"

"It's okay," Naveen said, quietly.

Cinderella slowly nodded. "You should get back to your... to Tiana."

Naveen hesitated. He looked behind him and then back at Cinderella. "Hypothetically, if I told you I had been thinking about kissing you all night, what would you say?"

Cinderella couldn't help letting a small smile escape. "I would say that if you were, _hypothetically_, thinking about kissing me, then hypothetically you should kiss me."

"And what if I had been _really _thinking about kissing you?" Naveen asked.

"Then you should really kiss me," Cinderella whispered, her heart racing.

Cinderella had barely gotten her response out before Naveen grabbed her head and pulled her into a kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the severe lack in updates. I had writer's block and was working on some of my other stories. I've got the next couple chapters of this story mapped out, though, so I'm going to focus on this story for a little bit. Enjoy!**

Aladdin sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. It was getting late and Jasmine still hadn't come back to the room. Aladdin felt bad for accusing Jasmine of flirting with Phoebus, but at the same time he couldn't help but worry. It was no secret that Jasmine was having doubts about him. Aladdin knew Jasmine could leave him at any time. After pacing around the room for a while, Aladdin became anxious and went out in the hallway to calm himself down. He was now sitting next to the room door, hoping to see Jasmine walking down the hall. The hallway was pretty deserted, though, since it was late. Aladdin stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds, but then closed his eyes.

"Did the missus kick ya out?"

Aladdin opened eyes to see Meg standing over him. She was no longer wearing her dress from earlier, but was now wearing a white robe.

"Me and Jasmine aren't married," Aladdin said. "Besides, she's not here."

"Ah."

"What brings you out here so late?" Aladdin asked.

Meg held up the small bucket in her hands. "Ice." She looked around, then sat down next to Aladdin. "Are you happy?"

Aladdin quickly looked over at Meg. "What? Of course I'm happy."

Meg raised an eyebrow. "Despite being Jasmine's pet?"

"I'm not Jasmine's..._pet_."

Meg brought her knees up a little bit, causing her robe to fall down to her thighs, revealing her legs. She set the bucket of ice between her feet before turning to face Aladdin again. "She's training you to be this perfect little boyfriend that she can show off. She probably even rewards you whenever you do something she approves of. I'd be willing to bet you only have sex when you do something 'right'. And, judging by the friction between you two, I'd guess it's been a while."

"Meg, that's kinda personal and not really-"

"Not really my business, right. Sorry."

Aladdin sat awkwardly next to Meg, wondering why she was still sitting there with him.

"Isn't your ice going to melt?" Aladdin asked, trying to give her a reason to leave.

Meg shrugged. "We didn't really need ice; I just wanted to get out of the room."

"Trouble in paradise?"

Meg laughed and shook her head. "Hercules has been feeling a little useless since he doesn't really need to protect me. He's also upset with me because he thinks I'm not 'classy enough'. That's never bothered him before, but now that we're around other heroes and royalty, he suddenly cares about it a lot. I guess he was hoping to have a trophy girl to show off like all the other men. I don't really blame him, since he's never fit in anywhere, and he thought this was his chance to finally fit in. But, I'm just not that girl, ya know."

Aladdin nodded. "Yeah."

"I like you, Aladdin," Meg said.

"You do?"

"Yes. I've never met anyone that I could actually relate to. It's kind of refreshing," Meg said.

"It _is _nice to have someone I can be myself with," Aladdin agreed. "Too bad we won't see each other again after tomorrow."

"_That _is too bad," Meg said. "I think we could have been really good together."

"Except that we're both with other people."

Meg smiled at Aladdin as she stood up. "Nothing's set in stone, Aladdin. I mean, I would never cheat on Hercules. But, I _would _leave Hercules for the right man."

"Yeah?"

Meg nodded. "And _I _would never withhold sex from you." She winked at Aladdin, then walked away.

Aladdin watched her purposely sway her hips seductively as she made her way down the hall. Aladdin smiled despite himself, but then pushed his thoughts of Meg away. He was loyal to Jasmine.

X~X~X

Eric leaned over the balcony of his and Ariel's room and looked down at the courtyard. Ariel had returned to the room not long ago; she was acting strange and went straight to bed. Eric couldn't help feeling sad at the thought of how unhappy Ariel must be. She was so far from her home and family and had no way of going back to even visit. Eric wondered if she would go back if it wasn't for him.

_"I wonder if my heart keeps singing will my song go winging to someone who will find me and bring back a love song to me?" _

Eric raised his head and started searching for the girl who was singing. He was somewhat to surprise to see Aurora slowly walking through the courtyard.

_"I wonder, I wonder," _she sang.

Eric quietly walked back into his room, checked that Ariel was sleeping, then snuck outside to the courtyard. Aurora was standing next to a tree, looking up at it.

_"I wonder why each little bird has someone to sing sweet things to..." _Aurora held out her hand and, much to Eric's amazement, a bird fluttered out of the tree and landed on her finger. Aurora smiled at it and gently pet its head. She held out her hand again and the bird flew back into the tree.

"That was incredible," Eric stated.

Startled, Aurora turned around. "Oh, Eric, you frightened me; I didn't know you were standing there."

"I'm sorry; that wasn't my intention," Eric said.

"It's all right."

"I heard you singing from my balcony," Eric said. "You have a beautiful voice."

"Thank you."

"Why are you out here alone so late?" Eric asked.

Aurora shrugged as she sat down. "As soon as we get home, it's back to being a princess. I won't be able to wander freely; at least, not without disappointing Philip."

"So, you and Philip are married?" Eric asked, joining Aurora on the bench.

"No. I was born a princess, but was raised in the woods as protection. I didn't even know I was a princess until I was sixteen. But, I didn't ask for this life; I was perfectly happy living in the cottage. Although, I _did_ dream of traveling someday and seeing the ocean; I bet it's beautiful."

"It is."

Aurora smiled at Eric. "That's right: you're a sailor. What's that like?"

"It's the best," Eric replied. "I love the freedom and meeting new people. Some of the cultures in other countries are just amazing."

Aurora sighed dreamily. "Can I trade places with you?"

"I'd invite you to come with me, but it doesn't sound like Philip would be okay with that," Eric said.

Aurora shook her head. "No. But, what about Ariel; wouldn't she mind?"

Eric frowned and looked down. "I honestly don't know. She doesn't talk to me very much."

"Well, surely, she must travel with you," Aurora said.

"Not really. She's from a kingdom that's pretty far from where we live now and after leaving her home, she's hesitant about ever leaving our home," Eric said.

"I can see where she's coming from," Aurora said. "You must get lonely when you're traveling."

"Honestly? I'm lonely all the time," Eric replied. "Ariel and I are more different than we originally thought. She doesn't talk much and there isn't much we have in common, so we don't do a lot together."

Aurora looked down, her golden hair falling over her face. "I know how you feel. Everything seems so perfect at first; like you're meant for each other. But, after a while, reality sets in and you realize maybe this person isn't your perfect match, after all. But, you've got all this responsibility and you can't just leave. You're stuck in this life, whether you like it or not."

Eric reached out and took Aurora's hand. "Aurora, your district is next to mine; if you ever want to go out on my ship with me or even come just to see the ocean, you're more than welcome to."

Aurora smiled sadly at Eric. "I would love to, but I have a duty to my kingdom, and Philip, and I can't just leave."

"If you ever change your mind, or decide to live your life for you, you know where to find me."

X~X~X

Flynn took one last glance behind him, before going into the woods that were just off the property of the palace. As soon as he was surrounded by the trees and the scent hit him, Flynn felt like his old self again. He wandered through the woods, taking it all in, knowing in the morning he would be returning to Rapunzel's castle.

A twig snapped somewhere close behind him and Flynn slowly pulled out the knife he kept in his belt. Another twig snapped. Flynn glanced behind him and he could the silhouette of a person coming towards him. Flynn quickly threw his knife at the person. It hit the sleeve of the person's clothes and pinned them to a tree. Flynn smiled when he realized he still had it. He walked over to other person, but stopped short when he saw it was Esmeralda. She was pulling at the knife, but she couldn't get it out of the tree. Flynn approached her and she glared at him.

"What the hell is your problem?" Esmeralda demanded. "You could have killed me."

Flynn gave her a smug smile. "I knew what I was doing."

Esmeralda rolled her eyes. "You got lucky."

"Oh, really?" Flynn asked. He pulled another knife out of his belt. "Would like to test that?"

"No way! You're crazy!"

Flynn shrugged and took a couple steps towards Esmeralda. "Maybe."

"Get this knife out of my sleeve," Esmeralda commanded.

Flynn leaned forward and stabbed his other knife in the tree right next to Esmeralda's head. "I don't take orders from anyone."

Esmeralda looked at the knife with wide eyes and then narrowed her eyes at Flynn. "You've left yourself exposed," she said. She went to knee Flynn in the groin, but he blocked her with his leg and then pinned her leg against the tree with his knee.

"You shouldn't reveal your plan of attack," Flynn told her.

Esmeralda started wiggling to get free. "Let me go!"

"What are you doing out here?" Flynn asked.

Esmeralda stopped struggling, and looked down. "I, uh, I was following you."

"Why?"

Esmeralda started struggling again. "I don't know. Just let me go!"

Flynn pressed his body against hers, then pulled the knife next to her head out of the tree. He ran his hand down her arm and then pulled the knife out of her sleeve. He dropped both knives on the ground, but kept Esmeralda's leg pinned against the tree. Esmeralda didn't try to get away from him, she just stared at Flynn. He entangled his hand in her hair, then forced his mouth against hers. She moaned and urgently kissed him back. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Flynn slowly dropped to his knees and lied Esmeralda down on the ground. He looked at her and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Esmeralda asked.

"We can't do this; it's not right," Flynn said.

Esmeralda propped herself up on her elbows and brought Flynn's head down to hers. "No one will find out," she whispered. She kissed him and he kissed her back as he lied down on top of her.


	5. Chapter 5

Tarzan woke early the next morning as the first sunlight poked through the leaves of the tree. At first he was confused because he didn't remember falling asleep in the tree the night before. He started to shift his weight, but it was then that he realized Pocahontas sleeping on him. He had slept in an upright position, leaning against the tree trunk, while Pocahontas was curled up on the branch with her head in his lap and her arm around his waist. The little bit of light that came through the leaves shone down on her dark hair, causing it to glisten. Tarzan ran his hand over Pocahontas' hair and she stirred slightly. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She seemed to be as confused as Tarzan had been. She sat up and rubbed her eye.

"Good morning," Tarzan greeted.

Pocahontas tilted her head to the side. "Good morning."

"How did you sleep?"

"Well, I think," Pocahontas replied, slightly distracted. "Did we stay out here all night?"

Tarzan nodded. "We fell asleep talking."

Pocahontas smiled. "That's right. It was almost like being back home."

Tarzan looked up. "This is the closest I've been to home in a long time."

"Same here," Pocahontas agreed. "John tries to-" She stopped short and frowned. "John must be worried about me. I have to find him."

Tarzan nodded and jumped down from the tree. He then reached up and helped Pocahontas down. They turned to head inside, but ran right into John and Jane.

"Tarzan? Were you up there all night?" Jane asked.

Tarzan started fidgeting. "Yes."

"Tarzan, I was so worried about you! I couldn't find you anywhere. Why didn't you come back to the room?"

"We fell asleep in the tree," Tarzan said, carefully.

Jane looked at Pocahontas as if she was seeing her for the first time. "You slept in the tree together?"

"Yes," Pocahontas replied. "We were talking and just fell asleep."

"Pocahontas, we spent most of the night looking for you," John said, sternly. "And you were with some other guy the whole time?"

"It wasn't like that," Pocahontas said.

Tarzan looked down at Jane's concerned face. She was so innocent and trusting; Tarzan knew he couldn't keep anything from her.

"We kissed," Tarzan said.

Jane's eyes grew wide and watered up. "W-why?"

Pocahontas shot Tarzan a warning look, then looked back at John. "It was late and we got caught up in the moment. It didn't mean anything."

Tarzan couldn't help feeling sad when Pocahontas said that last part. He really liked Pocahontas; possibly more than he liked Jane.

X~X~X

Jane stared at Tarzan in disbelief as tears ran down her cheeks. She started to say something, but then turned and ran back towards the palace. Tarzan watched Jane for a second, but then lowered his head. It was obvious to John that Tarzan wasn't going to go after Jane. John gave Pocahontas a disappointed look before shaking is head and going after Jane.

"John!" Pocahontas called after him.

John ignored her as he pulled open the door to the palace. He caught a glimpse of Jane just as she disappeared into the staircase. The door closed heavily behind her as John reached it. He opened the door and immediately spotted Jane. She had collapsed diagonally on the stairs and was crying with her face buried in her arms. John sat down next to her and gently stroked her hair. Jane looked up at him and in that moment she looked more fragile and vulnerable than any other woman John had ever seen.

"I'm such an idiot," Jane said, wiping the tears off her cheeks. This did little good since fresh tears instantly streamed down her face, taking their place.

"You're not an idiot," John said.

Jane nodded. "Yes, I am. I knew Tarzan wasn't happy, but I still forced him to stay with me. I was stupid to think he wouldn't eventually leave me. I just couldn't let him go; I was being selfish. I deserve this."

John wrapped his arm around Jane and she rested her head against his chest. John was surprised at how natural it felt to hold her and how perfectly she fit with his body.

"You don't deserve this; no one deserves to be betrayed by someone they love," John said.

Jane didn't respond at first. The stairway was quiet, except for the occasional sniffle from Jane. Finally, she looked up at John.

"How are _you _doing?" Jane asked him.

John shrugged. "Pocahontas and I have been drifting apart for a while. I knew she'd find somebody else someday. I just didn't expect her to _cheat _on me. But, at least she's happy."

Jane frowned. "Yes, well, as long as _they're _happy," she said, sarcastically. "Never mind that they had to hurt _us_ to get there."

John pulled Jane closer and kissed her forehead. "You'll be all right."

X~X~X

Tiana walked quietly down the hallway; it was early and she knew everyone would was still sleeping. She made her way down the stairs and snuck down to the kitchen. She looked around to make sure no one was watching her, then she slipped inside the kitchen. Tiana hadn't been too impressed with the food they had all been served the night before, so she decided she would make breakfast for herself and Naveen. She explored the kitchen a little bit, learning where everything was then gathered what she needed to make French toast. It was quick and easy to make, but it was one of Naveen's favorites, so she thought it would be a nice surprise for him.

As Tiana dropped her armful of supplies on the counter, she heard a metallic thud and someone swear loudly. She quickly turned around just in time to see Shang pull himself out from under the sink and start rubbing his head. Tiana was more than surprised to not only see Shang in the kitchen, but also to see him under the sink.

"Good morning," Tiana greeted.

Shang looked up at her. "Oh. Hi, Tiana. I didn't know anyone else was in here."

"Neither did I," Tiana said. "What _are _you doing in here?"

Shang laughed as he stood up. "Fixing the sink. Evidently, once word got around that a handy man was here, suddenly _all_ the sinks in the place needed fixing."

Tiana smiled. "How's that going for you?"

Shang looked back at the sink behind him. "I think I'm done now."

"I was just about to make some French Toast; would you like some?" Tiana offered.

"That sounds great. Thank you."

Tiana nodded, then got to work on making Shang's breakfast. When she finished with his, she gave him his plate, then started making hers and Naveen's. When she was done cooking, she put the French toast on two platters with some fruit, then put lids on to keep the food warm.

"That was delicious," Shang said as he swallowed his last bite.

Tiana looked over at him and couldn't help but laugh. Shang had a thick layer of powdered sugar next to his mouth.

"You got a little something on your face," Tiana said, motioning to the spot on her own face.

Shang wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and she shook her head to let him know he didn't get it. He wiped his mouth again, but still didn't get it. She giggled and shook her head.

"Here, let me get it."

Tiana licked the tip of her finger and wiped off the powdered sugar. Their eyes met as she slowly slid her finger over his mouth. As she brought her hand back down, Shang reached out and grabbed it. He brought her hand back up to his mouth and gently sucked the powdered sugar off her finger. Tiana's eyes grew wide and her heart started racing. Tiana and Shang stood there for a couple seconds, with their eyes locked on each other. But, Tiana quickly recomposed herself and pulled her hand away.

"I have to go." Tiana picked up the plates and hurried out of the kitchen without looking back at Shang.


	6. Chapter 6

"It'll be nice to get back home," Hercules said as he and Meg sat down at their table from the night before.

Meg nodded, but didn't say anything. She looked around the room, like she was searching for something, and then looked back down at the table. It was obvious to Hercules that Meg had been distracted by something all morning. But, he didn't pay it too much mind. They'd be back home in a few hours and things would go back to normal.

It didn't take long for the server to bring out their food and they both ate their breakfast in silence. Meg only ate half her breakfast before pushing her plate away.

"I'm gonna go pack," Meg said. Before Hercules could respond, Meg was out of her seat and walking towards the exit of the dining room.

Hercules finished his breakfast and was just starting to eat the rest of Meg's when he noticed Belle sitting alone at her table. She had a plate of food sitting in front of her, but she was reading a book and ignoring her breakfast. Hercules wanted to talk to her, but was too nervous, since he didn't know what to say. Belle was pretty and smart and outgoing, and Hercules was a little intimidated by her. After a few minutes of debating, Hercules finally decided he'd go talk to her. He straightened up and fixed his clothes as he walked over to Belle's table. At first she didn't notice him, so he cleared his throat.

Belle looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Hercules."

"Hi."

Belle stared at Hercules, waiting for him to say something else. When he didn't, she smiled at him again.

"Would you like to join me?" Belle asked, motioning at the empty seat next to her.

"Uh, yes, thank you," Hercules said as he sat down. "How's your ankle?"

"Oh. It's fine." Belle stuck a bookmark in her book and set it on the table. "I was up all night in the ER. The doctors did everything they could so I wouldn't lose my foot. Expect a bill."

Hercules almost believed her until she started laughing. He smiled at her. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Well, my ankle is fine. But, I don't know how okay I am," Belle said.

"Why? What's the matter?"

"It's just... I don't know where Adam is. He was gone when I woke up and I haven't seen him all morning," Belle said.

"He probably just needed some space," Hercules said. Belle gave him a wary look and he realized his sentence had come out wrong. "I mean, we were bombarded with people all night and he probably just needed a little alone time. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you."

Belle nodded, but didn't look convinced. She looked down at her book and ran her fingers over the cover. "I should probably go back up to our room and get ready to go."

"All right. It was nice meeting you, Belle," Hercules said.

Belle stood up and Hercules rose from his seat as well. "You too, Hercules. Thank you." She kissed his cheek, then picked up her book and walked away.

X~X~X

"Maybe we should join Prince Charming and Cinderella," Snow White suggested to Ferdinand as the server cleared their plates.

"Why?" Ferdinand asked.

"Their district is right next to ours, and yet we didn't meet them until last night," Snow White replied. "Going over there and talking to them would be the friendly thing to do."

Snow White stood up and was halfway to Charming and Cinderella's table before Ferdinand was even out of his seat. Both Charming and Cinderella looked up as Snow White approached the table and greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning," Snow White said.

"Morning, Snow White," Prince Charming replied.

"You two know each other?" Cinderella asked.

"Yes, we met last night," Snow White said. "But, you and I did not have the pleasure of meeting. I'm Snow White, the princess of the first district."

"Cinderella."

"It's lovely to meet you." Ferdinand joined them then. "This is Prince Ferdinand."

Ferdinand shook Charming's hand and then quickly kissed Cinderella's.

"Do you mind if we join you?" Snow White asked.

"Of course not," Charming said.

"Thank you."

Snow White and Ferdinand sat down across from the other couple.

"How did you two meet?" Cinderella asked.

"Charming had spilled his drink on his shirt and I helped him clean it up before it stained," Snow White said.

"He's good at that," Cinderella said, flatly.

Snow White giggled. "Yes he is."

Charming blushed and started picking at the remainder of the food on his plate.

"Lucky for him, Dopey used to spill food and drinks on himself all the time." Out of the corner of her eye, Snow White saw Ferdinand roll his eyes. She ignored him and continued. "I know how to get any kind of stain out of clothing."

"So do I," Cinderella said. "But, don't you think a grown man should be able to clean up after himself?"

"Well, Cindy, I think-"

"It's Cinderella."

"I apologize," Snow White said. "I think, as a prince, Charming has enough to worry about and as a woman it's our job to serve our men and help them out with the little things."

Cinderella stared at Snow White with a raised eyebrow. Snow White just shrugged and smiled at Charming.

"Snow White, you're a doll," Charming said.

Cinderella rolled her eyes, then got up and walked away.

"Cinderella, wait!" Charming called out as he went after her.

"What was that?" Ferdinand asked once Cinderella and Charming were out of ear shot.

"What do you mean?" Snow White asked.

"You and Charming were straight up flirting with each other," Ferdinand said.

"We were not."

"Don't lie to me, Snow," Ferdinand said. "If you want Charming, you can have him. Maybe _he'll _let you mother him while listening to you talk incessantly."

"Yes, maybe _then _I can be myself around someone," Snow White said.

X~X~X

"Be careful with this one," Rapunzel instructed as she handed a bag to one of the servants who was loading the carriage. The servant took the bag, then carefully strapped it on with the other ones. "Thank you."

Flynn hurried outside then. He handed his bag to the servant, then got into the carriage without looking at Rapunzel. Rapunzel frowned. Flynn had been acting so strange since he came back to the room the night before. He had hardly looked at her and hasn't said one word to her since then. She sighed; this was going to be a long trip.

There was a tap on her shoulder and Rapunzel turned around to see Philip standing behind her.

"Hello, Philip," Rapunzel greeted.

"Good morning, Rapunzel," Philip replied. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course."

Philip led Rapunzel to the side, away from the carriages. Rapunzel glanced at her carriage, but Flynn didn't seem to notice that she had walked away.

"Is something wrong?" Rapunzel asked.

"No," Philip said. "I just want to talk to you about something. I've heard a great deal about you and your kingdom. And according to what I've heard, since you've returned as their princess the kingdom has flourished and you are loved by all. Not to mention, your kingdom has also been in a time of peace for quite a while."

Rapunzel blushed. "I do the best I can. My people look to me and it's my duty do what's best for them."

Philip nodded. "Exactly. That is why I have something to propose to you. I would like to form an alliance between my district and yours."

"That's a wonderful idea," Rapunzel said. "Of course, I'll have to run it by my father, but I'll send word to you and we can get together to discuss this more."

Philip took Rapunzel's hand and kissed it. "I look forward to our meeting."

X~X~X

As Adam wandered the palace grounds, he spotted Mulan. She was working on a series of different kicks and punches. He watched how gracefully she moved and admired the passion in her movements. During a roundhouse kick, Mulan noticed Adam and stumbled slightly.

"I'm sorry," Adam said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay," Mulan said. "I should be wrapping it up anyway; no doubt Shang is ready to leave."

"Before you go, do you know any good self defense moves I could teach Belle?" Adam asked.

Mulan thought for a moment. "Actually, I do. I'll show you."

Adam started walking towards her and she immediately thrust her hand forward, stopping just before the heel of her hand hit his nose.

"That's the most basic move for a frontal attack," Mulan said. "As well as the groin kick, but I'll spare you that demonstration."

Adam laughed. "Thanks."

Mulan nodded. She then turned around. "Now wrap your arms around me, pinning my arms down." Adam did as she instructed. "The easiest move for her to make in this situation is to slam her heel down on his foot then whip her head back and hit him in the nose."

As Mulan demonstrated this, Adam caught the scent of her hair. It had a surprisingly floral smell to it that momentarily distracted Adam.

"Hitting his nose will not only hurt him, it will also cause his eyes to water and she should be able to get way," Mulan was saying. She wiggled in Adam's grasp, then cleared her throat. "She _should _be able to get away."

"Oh, sorry," Adam said, letting go of Mulan.

"It's okay. Let's try one more. Come behind me again and this time wrap your arms around the upper part of my torso," Mulan said.

Adam stared at her, but didn't move. Mulan glanced over her shoulder at Adam. "It's okay, come on."

Adam approached her and wrapped his arms around her. She moved his arms so they were now right under her breasts. Adam couldn't help having mixed feelings about this position. All of a sudden, Mulan grabbed his hand, flipped him over her body and he was lying flat on his back in a matter of seconds. He looked up at Mulan as he tried to catch his breath. Mulan was standing over him, still holding his wrist while her other hand was pinning him down by his chest. She smiled at him in triumph. Adam quickly pushed her hand off his chest, causing her to lose her balance and fall on top of him. He rolled over and pinned her down.

"What should she do in a position like this?" Adam asked.

Mulan stared up at him with wide eyes, but before she could respond they were interrupted.

"_There _you are. I've been looking for you all morning."

Adam quickly turned around to see Belle standing behind them. He quickly got off Mulan and they stood up.

"Mulan was showing me some self defense moves to teach you," Adam said.

Belle rolled her eyes. "You're wasting your time," she said to Mulan. "I have no interest in learning how to fight."

"You'll wish you knew the basic moves if you ever get attacked," Mulan said.

"We live in an isolated castle that everyone thinks is the home of a beast," Belle said. "I don't think I'm ever gonna have to worry about someone coming there to-"

"A beast?" Mulan asked, interrupting Belle.

"It's a long story," Belle said. She then turned to Adam. "We should really get going."

"It was nice meeting you, Mulan," Adam said. "Maybe we'll see you around."

Mulan smiled at him. "Maybe."


	7. Chapter 7

Cinderella looked across the carriage at Charming. He had his head down and was staring at his hands.

"Charming?"

Charming looked up at Cinderella with a tired expression. "Yes?"

"I'm not going to be your servant anymore."

"What do you mean?"

Cinderella leaned back in her seat. "I've spent most of my life taking orders and cleaning up after people; grown people who were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Going to the ball that night was supposed to be an opportunity to get away from all that, but it hasn't turned out that way."

"Cinderella, I'm a prince and-"

"Exactly! You're an adult and a prince of a kingdom; you should be able to clean up after yourself."

"No. I'm a prince, therefore I shouldn't have to worry about little things like that," Charming said. "I have more important things I need to be doing and worrying about. You, on the other hand, don't have anything else to do. So, why not help me out with things like that?"

"You and I are supposed to get married someday, Charming. I want to be more to you than just your servant."

"It is a wife's duty to help her man out. Snow White understands that."

Cinderella frowned. She wanted to be upset with Charming for bringing her up, but then she remembered kissing Naveen.

She took a deep breath. "Charming, I'm giving you an out."

"I don't understand."

"It's obvious you need a wife like Snow White. So, I'm giving you permission to court her. If she wants to be with you, the way you want to be with her, then I will leave and let you two be together."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Charming thought for a moment. "But, where will you go?"

Cinderella hadn't really thought about that. She definitely couldn't go back to her step mother's house. Part of her wanted to travel to the twelfth district to be with Naveen; although, she wasn't sure if he'd want to be with her. Even though they had fun together last night and kissed, Cinderella wasn't sure if Naveen actually wanted to be with her or if he was just caught up in the moment.

"Don't worry about me," Cinderella finally said. "I'll be fine."

X~X~X

Jane was stretched out across the seat of their carriage. She had been pretending to be asleep to avoid any awkward conversations with Tarzan, but since she wasn't actually tired all she did was lie there and think. She thought about all the different ways things could go between her and Tarzan. She could act like nothing happened and they would continue to live the way they had been. She could get angry at him, start a fight and kick him out. She could let him choose between her and Pocahontas. She could tell him she forgives him and that she still wants to be with him.

Jane had to admit, though, that none of those would end with her being happy. To be honest, no matter what she wouldn't be happy; she didn't want to lose Tarzan, but at the same time she couldn't make him stay with her when he obviously didn't want to be there with her.

Jane slowly sat up and Tarzan looked over at her. His big blue eyes were sad and Jane knew then what she had to do.

"Tarzan, we need to talk."

"I'm sorry I kissed Pocahontas."

Jane nodded. "I know you are. But, Tarzan, I think it would be best if you returned to your home."

"I want to be with you, Jane."

"Tarzan, even before last night I could tell you missed your home and your mother. You should go back."

"Am I in trouble for what I did?"

"You shouldn't have done it. But, I'm not punishing you for it. I just think you should be home with your mother and the rest of your family," Jane said. "When we get home I'll arrange for a ship to take you home."

Tarzan stared out the window for a few moments. He then turned back to Jane. "I'll miss you, Jane."

Jane could feel the tears filling her eyes, but she fought them back. "I'll miss you, too, Tarzan."

X~X~X

"We definitely have to fix the hole in the wall and the ceiling. Not to mention all the cleaning..."

Mulan tried to focus on what Shang was saying, but she found herself spacing out. They'd be back home soon and would have to continue working on their house. Their home. Mulan was supposed to be starting a new life with Shang and before this morning Mulan had been so excited about it. But, now Mulan had seen there was more out there than she had thought and she wasn't sure she was ready to settle down with Shang. Of course she cared about him a lot and could possibly be happy with him.

But Mulan couldn't stop thinking about Adam.

The way it felt to have his arms around her, the way he smelled and, more prominently, the way he looked at her when he had her pinned on the ground. Butterflies filled Mulan's stomach at that last thought. Mulan bit her lip and forced the butterflies away. It was silly of her to think about Adam like that. She knew she wouldn't see him again and she needed to focus on Shang.

Mulan looked over at Shang, but she only saw Adam instead. She quickly looked away. _Stop it! _She scowled herself. _What you're feeling is just a physical reaction to what happened this morning. You don't have feelings for Adam. Shang is the one you're supposed to be with! _

"Mulan, are you all right?" Shang asked.

Mulan smiled at him. "Of course."

"You seem a little distracted."

"I just can't wait to get home."

"Yeah, it _will_ be nice." Shang smiled at her. "Tell you what: why don't we forget about working on the house for today and just spend some time together."

"That sounds perfect."


	8. Chapter 8

"I think we need to talk about what was going on between you and Mulan this morning."

Adam had been staring out the window the entire trip back to the castle and the suddenness of Belle's voice startled him. He looked over at her. She was sitting up with her legs stretched out over the seat. If anyone else had seen her, they would have thought her face was expressionless. But, Adam knew better; he could tell she was upset. She was trying to hide it, but her tell was her eyebrow's small, subtle arch. She always arched her eyebrows when she was borderline upset and angry, even when she was trying to hide it she couldn't help arching them slightly. Adam was the only one who noticed, though.

"What about it?" Adam asked, carefully.

"When I found you, you had her pinned on the ground."

"We were practicing self-defense moves."

"And you felt absolutely nothing while your body was on top of hers?"

In any other relationship, the man is trained to lie in a situation like this. But, Belle would hate him lying to her more than the truth. But, still he had to be careful and word it properly.

"It was different. I've never been in a position like that with another woman before."

"Did you like it?"

"It _did _stir up some feelings, but they were nothing like what I feel for you." Even as Adam said this he new it sounded phony. It was true, but the way he said it, he knew it sounded like he trying cover something up. Which he also kind of was and knowing Belle, she'd see right through him.

"Did it _arouse _you?"

"A little."

Tears started to roll down Belle's cheeks, but her expression remained the same. "I knew it. I knew you didn't love me anymore."

Adam quickly rushed over to her and sat down on the edge of her seat. "Belle, that's not true. Not even close."

"But, I'm not enough anymore."

"It's not like that. Being around Mulan just feels different."

"But you like it?"

The carriage pulled up in front of their castle then.

"I don't know," Adam replied.

"Wrong answer."

X~X~X

Jasmine glanced out her window as the carriage returned to their district. She lowered her eyes and started fidgeting with the gold bracelet around her wrist. Aladdin reached over and took her hand.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Aladdin, we really need to talk."

"What about?"

"Us." She looked up at Aladdin and took a deep breath. "This isn't working, Aladdin."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a responsibility," Jasmine stated. "I have to marry someone who will be a good leader; a good... _Sultan._ And I think Phoebus is that man."

"And marrying him will make you happy?"

Jasmine looked into Aladdin's big brown eyes. _No, _she thought. But, out loud she said, "Yes."

Aladdin slowly slid his hand out of Jasmine's. "Then I will get out of your way."

The carriage pulled up to the palace and Aladdin immediately got out. Jasmine watched him out the widow and she could feel her heart breaking. She frowned. _Snap out of it, Jasmine! _She scolded herself. _You're a princess and that comes with a lot of restrictions. You don't have the liberty of marrying for love._

Jasmine got out of the carriage and slowly walked up to the palace door. One of the servants carrying her suitcase opened the door for her and she went inside. She took the suitcase from the servant.

"I want to be alone," she told him.

He nodded and walked away. Jasmine went up to her room and lied down the bed. Jasmine had only been lying there a couple minutes when Aladdin came in. She watched him pack up his things and fought back her tears.

"Where will you go?" she asked him.

"Back to my old place, I guess."

Jasmine frowned at the image of Aladdin's old run-down apartment. But, then she remembered the first time she met Aladdin and their almost kiss in that very apartment and she couldn't help smiling to herself.

Aladdin finished packing, then turned to face Jasmine. "Good bye, Jasmine."

"Good bye."

X~X~X

John had been careful not to talk to Pocahontas the entire trip back to his house. He was angry with her and was trying to avoid an argument. When they pulled up in front of John's house, Pocahontas quickly got out of the carriage and grabbed her bag. John unloaded his things and then made his way inside after Pocahontas. He caught up to her in their room. She was sitting on the bed, with her bag on the floor next to her feet. John set his bag down as well, but didn't approach her.

"Obviously we need to talk," Pocahontas finally said.

"I have to say, Pocahontas, I'm really surprised that you cheated on me."

"It wasn't my intention. We got caught up in the moment and it just kind of happened."

"Either way, I think it's best if you leave."

Pocahontas nodded. "I agree."

Pocahontas changed into her short tan dress that she had been wearing when they first met, packed a couple of her shorter dresses and then walked out the room. John watched her walk away, knowing it was possible that he would never see her again. Part of him was sad because of this, but the other part of him was relieved. Things had been really strained between the two of them for a while and now they both were free.

John picked up his bag and set it on the bed. As he started unpacking he found a map of the country and all the districts. He sat down on the bed and studied the map. He was then reminded that Jane was most likely going through the same thing he was. Although, judging by the way she reacted this morning, she probably wasn't handling it very well.

Jane's district, District Eleven, was on the other side of the country from John, but it would only be a couple days' journey to get there. Without thinking, John packed his bag again and made his way back outside. The carriage was already gone, most likely taking Pocahontas to wherever she wanted to go, so he went back inside and made arrangements for another carriage to come pick him up. Once the carriage arrived, John climbed inside and just like that he was headed to District Eleven to see Jane.


End file.
